Kennedy targets 16th win in D.C.

Ian Kennedy tries to become the National League's first game winner tonight when he leads the struggling Arizona Diamondbacks into game road series against the Washington Nationals.

Kennedy had a personal seven-start winning streak cut short in his last outing on Thursday in Philadelphia, as he was reached for three runs and five hits in three innings of a 4-1 loss. He struck out four batters and walked two in falling to 15-4 in 26 starts to go along with a 3.22 earned run average.'

The right-hander is 1-1 in three career starts against Washington and 8-2 with a 3.43 ERA in 12 road assignments this season. He'll be looked upon to save a D'Backs squad that has dropped six in a row and now sits just a game ahead of San Francisco for the National League West lead.

Arizona's woes were extended in Monday's 4-1 loss at Nationals Park and starting pitcher Joe Saunders was dealt the loss for giving up four runs and six hits in six innings. Henry Blanco homered to provide the scoring for the Diamondbacks, who are 1-6 on their lengthy 10-game road trip.

"I think we're just trying to do too much right now," said Blanco. "I don't think we can panic right now. We've just got to go out there and play our game."

Washington has been playing well on its 10-game homestand and is 5-2 so far on the residency following last night's win.

Jayson Werth hit a three-run homer and Jonny Gomes knocked in a run for the Nationals, who got 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball out of winning pitcher Ross Detwiler. Detwiler allowed six hits and struck out three and Drew Storen later worked a scoreless ninth for his 34th save.

"We have a good ballclub. The future is bright," Werth said on the Nats' site. "We have a lot of good players here. We are doing well."

Ryan Zimmerman has reached base safely in 28 straight games and is batting .407 over that stretch. He was named the National League's Player of the Week on Monday.

Jordan Zimmermann gets the nod for the Nats tonight and he's 8-10 with a 3.11 earned run average in 24 starts. He has won two of his previous three trips to the mound and defeated Cincinnati in last Thursday's 3-1 victory, allowing six hits over 5 2/3 scoreless innings.

Zimmermann, a right-hander, is 4-5 in 11 home starts this season and faced Arizona for the first time in his career during a 6-1 triumph on June 2 from Chase Field. He threw seven innings of one-run ball that day for the win.

Arizona and Washington split a two-game series in the desert from June 2-5.